JAMMU, AUGUST 1
Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Mir Saifullah today inspected the construction of the Legislature Complex being raised at an estimated cost of Rs 10.44 crore here. He asked the executing agencies to complete the project in time.

Managing Director, J&K Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC), briefed him about the physical and financial status of the work. The building is coming up over 22154.21 square meters and will have six floors besides parking in the lower and upper basements.

The minister also visited the construction site of the lawyers' chamber in the District Court Complex, Janipur. The chambers will be a four-storey complex, including the basement and three floors with 213 chambers, a toilet block, kitchens, pantry and a conference hall. The complex will be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 18.52 crore. The MD, JKPCC, informed the minister that 34 chambers had been completed so far and handed over to the Bar Association besides 61 chambers have been completed in all respects and were ready to be handed over.

The minister also distributed licenses among the newly-appointed notaries. He said the matter of providing a stipend to junior lawyers was under the consideration of the government.

Director Litigation, Additional Law Secretary, Senior Advocates, Public Prosecutors and newly appointed notaries were also present on the occasion.

Reasi, August 1
The district unit of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) plans to construct two model hospitals in the district. These model healthcare centres will be in addition to the 18 other such healthcare centres in the district, which are being constructed. The construction of two model hospitals is on and they will be operational very soon, Deputy Commissioner, Reasi, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, who is also the Chairman, District Health Socity, Reasi, said here today.

These hospitals will be equipped with all modern amenities as per the Indian Public Health Standard (IPS) such as a high-tech laboratory, outpatient department (OPD), indoor patient department (IPD), emergency, operation theatres with advanced machines and technologies. These model hospitals will be of 100-bed capacity at Reasi and 50 beds at Mahore.

Choudhary said, "The objective of constructing the model hospitals is to provide quality healthcare facilities to the people in remote areas of the district. There are very few health centres in remote areas as a result of which people cannot avail good healthcare facilities. These people are basically poor, who cannot afford to come to the city or go elsewhere for better treatment. Three primary heath centres, 15 sub-centres are almost complete and will be made functional soon. The aim is to provide healthcare services to the people in remote areas.”

Poonch, August 1
The state government has failed to provide basic facilities to 18 degree colleges opened in 2008 as well as the 24 colleges opened up in 2011. The move aimed at providing higher education at the doorstep of residents in far-flung areas like Surankote and Mendhar.

Most of the colleges run either from private buildings or from the buildings of higher secondary schools.

Among these colleges is the Government Degree College, Surankote, established in 2011 with much fan fare at the Government Higher Secondary School, Surankote, with the promise that the college will have its own building soon. Even after two years, the department has failed to finalise the site for the construction of the college building. Due to the apathetic attitude of the state government and especially the education department, over 500 students of graduation part one and two in 11 streams are compelled to attend classes in the four rooms that too in shifts.

“The college was established in 2011 in four rooms at the Higher Secondary School for Boys at Surankote with the promise that the college will have its own building soon, but it is unfortunate that the higher education department has failed to identify the land for the construction of the college building," said Shoukat Hussain, a student of BA part two.

“It does not look like a college. We still feel like students of a higher secondary school. The premises does not have a tuck shop, library, separate geography laboratory and above all toilets. The college is for the Faculty of Arts that does not cater to the needs of students who want to go in for the science subjects," said, Tabassum, a student of the college.

Another student, Mumtaz Hussain, said, "Except the principal, a clerk and a peon, all other teachers have been appointed on contractual basis. Girl students have to face difficulties due to the non-availability of toilets in the college premises. We should at least have drinking water, toilet, lab and playground facilities, just opening colleges with a meager infrastructure and faculty exposes the ill planning of the state government."

"The higher education department had identified two places for the construction of the collage building, but due to political rivalry in the Surankote tehsil and the apathetic attitude of the higher education department, the department has not finalised where the building will be constructed," said an official of the higher education department.

The two committees constituted for the selection of the building site have also submitted reports and recommended Potha village for the college premises but the final decision is yet to be taken. Though Minister for higher education Mohd Akbar Lone visited the proposed sites at Mirza Morhe and Potha but has not announced the final site for the purpose. He had to face angry public over the issue during his visit," official said.

“We had only 200 students when the college started and now we have over 500 students, it is very difficult to run the college in four rooms, we have to run classes in shifts," said, Mohd Zaman, Principal, Degree College, Surankote. “If the government fails to start construction of the college building in time, it will be very difficult to run the college with over 800 students in just four rooms," he said.

Jammu, August 1
An 18-year-old girl, an acid attack survivor, belonging to a poor Dalit family from RS Pura sub division, is waiting for an ex-gratia relief from the state government for her treatment.

A Special Police Officer (SPO) Sanjeev Kumar had thrown acid on Ruman Lata on May 26 last year because she had refused his advances.

Ruman, who suffered severe burn injuries on her face and arm in the attack, regrets that no help has come for her so far from the state government.

“It is a nightmare for me. The acid attack has changed my life. I was only provided with the financial help of Rs 50,000 which we spent on the treatment at the Government College and Hospital, Bakshi Nagar," Ruman Lata said. “We are two sisters and two brothers, the acid attack has ruined the happiness of our family," she added.

Jammu, August 1
The region has got new a divisional commissioner with the 1991 batch J&K cadre IAS officer Shantmanu joining office yesterday. He succeeds Pradeep Gupta who retired on July 31.

Shantmanu held the charge of Commissioner Secretary of the Department of Industries and Commerce. During a cabinet meeting on Wednesday he was transferred and posted as Divisional Commissioner, Jammu.

Jammu division comprises 10 districts and most of which are hilly areas and the divisional commissioner, being the head of the administration of the region, faces challenges every now and then. “Working in Jammu is full of challenges and hopes. I started my career as a probationer in Jammu in 1991 and since then Jammu has progressed a lot and a lot of development has been witnessed. It will be a great experience to work as a divisional commissioner," Shantmanu said, over the phone from Dehradun.

He also worked as the vice-chairman of the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) in 2000. He feels that the election year will be full of challenges. "Striking a balance and standing for the cause of the people will be my motive. The election year will be difficult and challenging and it will be tough to rise to the occasion," Shantmanu said.

“I have good relations with every one and while sitting in the chair, my job will be to work for the people.” Before joining the IAS, Shantmanu did B-Tech from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee and after that he did his M. Tech from IIT, Kharagpur. During his five-year deputation with the Centre in Kolkata, he did MBA from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kolkata. He is a music lover and loves mathematics.

Jammu, August 1
Just a few spells of rainfall have once again exposed the poor coordination of different wings and the bad planning of the authorities in the winter capital of the state, as rain water has clogged many parts of the city.

Heavy rain in Jammu last night has once again led to the city getting water logged. In addition, the dumps of garbage at various places are inviting diseases and accidents but the authorities seem to be busy in playing the blame game.

The low-lying areas of Canal road, Krishna Nagar, Greater Kailash, Sarwal, Roop Nagar, Top Sher Khanian, Gangayal, Preet Nagar, Bhagwati Nagar, Talab Tillo, Channi Himmat, Sainik Colony, parts of Nanak Nagar and Trikuta Nagar are the worst affected.

The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) started cleaning the narrow drains and lanes but due to lack of manpower, the workers failed to clear the garbage, which has now spilled on to the streets following the incessant rains.

“All the roads and lanes are filled with water and garbage. The administration seems to be sleeping over the matter. Even after being approached many a times, the authorities have nothing to give accept assurances,” said Ramesh Lal, a resident of Krishna Nagar.

The officials of the JMC said they were regularly cleaning the area where the water and garbage was dumped but because of the shortage of manpower, the work was getting delayed.

Jammu, August 1
The People Democratic Party (PDP), along with shopkeepers and local residents of Rajinder Nagar ward number 19, today held a protest near Commerce College against Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), MLA Jammu East and the state government for their alleged wrong policies.

The angry protestors said due to the blockage of nullah on both sides of the road, waste water had entered into the houses and shops of residents of the Rajinder Nagar area, thereby causing huge financial losses to the property of the general public.

The protesters assembled near Commerce College and raised slogans against the authorities for ignoring their problems. They claimed that the matter was brought to the notice of the concerned authorities a number of times but in vain.

The activists demanded construction of a nullah from Krishna Nagar, through the premises of Science College, to divert the waste water of old city. Vikram Singh, district vice-president of PDP Jammu, said there were frequent and unscheduled power cuts which had made their life difficult during the ongoing season.

The People Democratic Party activists warned the Power Development Department (PDD) Minister to provide regular supply of electricity to the people, or the PDP workers would march towards his house.

Vikram Singh asked the PDD to ensure regular supply of electricity. He said the area was metered but still people were not supplied regular power. He added that the employees of the Power Development Department were taking bribe from every single home in the city and filled wrong meter reading to the department.

Others who were present on the occasion included Chaman Lal Angral, Pankaj Gupta, Sonu Saini, Vinod Mehra, Brij Mehra, Bittu Pradhan, Ritesh Gupta, Ramesh Chander, Naresh Nand, Goga, Vishal, Nittin Sharma, Sunil, Parveen Gupta, Vicky Saini, Arun Manhas, Dharshan Lal, Vinay Sahil, Thapa, Suresh, Sandeep, Monty, Deepak Mehra, Sudesh Kumar, Pawan Kumar, Sanjeev Gupta, Ankit Kalotra, Abishek, Rakesh Kumar and Gourav.

Jammu, August 1
A joint meeting of senior officers of Security Forces, Police, Traffic, Intelligence Agencies and Civil Administration was convened by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone, Rajesh Kumar (IPS) at the Police Control Room, Jammu, to discuss various security measures in the run up to August 15. He also took stock of the progress of the security and other allied arrangements being made for the Independence Day celebrations and for the forthcoming festivals of Eid-ul-Azha, Raksha Bandhan, Budha Amarnath Ji Yatra, Machail Yatra and Janamashtami.

Besides the detailed intelligence assessment by state and Central Intelligence Agencies, DIG JK Range Shakeel A Beig (IPS), DIG Traffic Shafkat Watali, SSP Jammu and SSP Security gave a detailed account of the security arrangements that have been put in place around the city, including border areas.

The concerned officers of the civil administration gave a detailed account of the arrangements they have put in place for celebrations of August 15.

Detailed deliberations were held on all the points concerning parade contingents, preparation of venue, anti-sabotage checks and repair of rounds in and around the venue, barricading, traffic arrangements in the city and at the venue, fire services, medical facilities and other contingencies. Detailed instructions were issued to the concerned officers for follow up action on certain points.

Rajesh Kumar expressed his satisfaction over the arrangements and asked the officers to work in close coordination with each other for greater synergy as the goal was common. He asked the Intelligence Agencies, Police and SF Officers to step up vigil and security in the district to check any attempt of infiltration, movement of anti-national elements and forestall any ill-conceived plan of terrorists.

A detailed review of the prevailing security scenario, throughout Jammu zone, was taken. The meeting was attended by DIG, Traffic, Jammu, Shafkat Watali Shakeel A Beig, DIG,JKS Range, Jammu, Johny William, DIG AP, Jammu, Manmohan Singh, SSP Traffic, Jammu, JL Sharma, SSP, CID, SB, Jammu, Nisar Ahmed, SSP, Crime, Jammu, Atul Goel, SSP Jammu, R K Chalotra, SSP Security Jammu, Vijay Kumar, SSP PCR ,Jammu, Bopinder Singh, SSP, Telecom, Jammu, Isrrar Kahn, SSP Samba Mubasir Latief, SP Rajouri, Sham Sunder and SSP APCR Jammu.

Jammu, August 1
In continuation of its nation-wide programme of Yuva Sadsya Mitra Abhiyan, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), Satwari Mandal, today conducted a membership drive in the Rani Talab area of Digiana.

BJYM Jammu district president Ajay Vaid, along with BJP mandal president Sat Pal Choudhary, Raj Rani Jamwal, Karan Sharma, Keshav Chopra, Sunil Sharma and Ajay Chalotra, reached the venue to boost the morale of the morcha activists.

Ajay Vaid, while appreciating the efforts of the mandal team for getting three hundred youth enrolled with morcha as its members, said Yuva Sadsya Mitra Abhiyan had been receiving “overwhelming response” from the youth across the country.

He added that the youth of today was feeling helpless and frustrated due to the non-seriousness on part of the state and the Central Government towards their future. “There is no clear youth policy and lakhs of educated boys and girls are unemployed and their number is going up with each passing year”, he claimed.

Later, more than 35 youth from the area joined the Yuva Morcha. These included Aniket Sharma, Sunil Kumar, Surinder Kumar, Rajinder Singh, Avinash Sharma, Kishori Lal, Sukhdev Singh, Sanjeev Kundan, Rinku Kumar, Ajay Singh Jamwal, Vikram Choudhary, Subash Choudhary, Satnam Singh, Ajeet Kumar, Sahil Kumar and Arun Kumar.

Jammu, August 1
Railway Station Hotels and Lodges Association has urged the Department of Urban Development and Urban Local Bodies for regularisation of all commercial establishments that had come up over the years in both underdeveloped and developed colonies of the city.

In a memorandum submitted to Nawang Rigzin Jora, president of the association Bhuvneshwar Gandotra said all commercial establishments in underdeveloped and developed colonies of Jammu by the Housing Department should be regularised and a cut-off date be prescribed which should be March 31, 2013. —TNS

Jammu, August 1
The Forest Division, Doda, today arrested six smugglers from Pul Doda after seizure of medicinal herbs worth crores, from their possession. The herb was being smuggled outside the district.

Those arrested have been identified as Muzaffar Khan, Muhammad Yaseen, Shakeel Muhammad, Muhammad Ashraf, Gulzar Ahmed and Zahoor Hussain, all residents of Ghear, Chamba in Himachal Pradesh.

Divisional Forest Officer, Doda, Manzoor Ahmed Gagroo, said a team of the Forest Department, Doda, laid a naka at a post near Pul Doda (Doda) and arrested the smugglers.

Jammu, August 1
The sports wing of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) today organised a prize distribution function for intra-sector and inter-sector level tournaments held of badminton and table tennis. Position holders and technical staff who extended assistance in the conduct of tournament were honoured. Dr Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, additional chief executive officer of the SMVDSB was the chief guest who distributed mementoes to the winners and runners-up.

Bhandari said the shrine board wan an endeavour to encourage young sports persons. A viable infrastructure for the sports persons and local inhabitants, with all allied facilities essential for participation in outdoor games, was also being developed, he added.

Others present on the occasion were Rajinder Singh, officer on special duty (revenue), Dr Vinod Gupta, director, medical service, SMVDSB Katra, Sunita Sharma, Abhishek Sharma, Ravinder Koul, Romesh Kumar, Sushil Bharti, Shiv Dev Singh, Vishal Jasrotia, Shashi Mohan and Rakesh Sharma. The badminton and table tennis players who were honoured included Aseem Chadha, Vivek Dubey, Pardeep Jamwal, Balraj Singh, K K Koul, Pavinder Kumar, Sampooran, Dr Amit Sachdeva, Sanjeev Mangotra, P L Sharma, Charan Dass, Vishal Sharma, Dinesh Nanda, Rajesh, Sanjeev Koushal, Sumit, Vinod, Sanjay, Neeraj Katoch, Vipin Sharma, Sanjeev Thappa, Joginder Singh, Sumit Kumar, Ved Parkash Rahul and Ashwani Kohli.

Technical officials Vikrant Singh, Dhan Raj Singh, Vikram Singh Jamwal and Amit Sharma were also honoured.—TNS